“Now this is a masquerade party,” Morgan said, dragging Embry out onto the dance floor.

Brett and Jeremy followed, and soon they all melted into the crowd, just more bodies moving to the beat. A club remix of Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful” played in the background as Jeremy pulled Embry toward him. His hands landed on her hips as she shimmied around in front of him. He was a surprisingly good dancer and kept up with her easily as she spun around the dance floor. She was finally loosening up and enjoying herself.

“Let’s grab another drink,” she suggested after they’d been dancing for a while.

She and Jeremy left Morgan and Brett on the dance floor and headed to the bar. Jeremy paid for their drinks, and they leaned against the bar to talk.

“So I have a question,” he said.

“Nope. No questions,” Embry teased. A mischievous smile crept across Jeremy’s face.

“What’s your deal?” he asked.

“This sounds eerily reminiscent of the first time we met,” she said.

He leaned in close to speak over the music, and his proximity made her squirm. “It is. But I mean, really, B. You’re beautiful. Why don’t you date anyone?”

Embry hadn’t expected Jeremy to go there. He’d become one of her best friends, and they never crossed that line. As she looked into his handsome face, she couldn’t help wishing she could just fall for him. He was sweet, good-looking and had an amazing sense of humor, but she couldn’t force herself to feel something that wasn’t there. She couldn’t feel anything for anyone other than Luke. Things would be so much easier if she could.

She let out a long sigh. “It’s complicated, Jer. I had a rough relationship. I’m just focusing on me right now.” At least that was partially true. That was her plan when she got to law school. Unfortunately, she hadn’t planned for Luke Brody.

Usher’s “Euphoria” started playing, and Embry took the opportunity to drag Jeremy back onto the dance floor and end their awkward conversation.

“I love this song!” she shouted as she hopped up and down, waving her arms and shaking her ass.

“I can see that,” joked Jeremy, falling into step with her and accepting that the conversation was going no further.

They danced through a few more songs before a beautiful brunette in a feathered mask walked by and stole Jeremy’s attention. He darted off but returned in a flash, towing her along and letting Embry know he was leaving with her. She waved him off and went back to dancing. Morgan and Brett were somewhere nearby, but she wasn’t concerned. The alcohol was having its desired effect, erasing any reservations she may have had about dancing by herself.

The crowd had thinned out a bit, and she was about to take a break when a slow electronic beat thumped through the speakers, setting her hips in motion. She let herself sway in time with the music as Robin Thicke sang about putting lovin’ on him. She ran her hands down her body and let loose as she lost herself to the beat. Strobe lights flashed, casting shadows off the other dancers and making their movements appear in slow motion. The music pulsed through her and she gave herself over to the rhythm. She felt good, hips swaying and body moving, as she owned the dance floor.

Strong hands landed on her hips, and a warm chest pressed against her back. Her body responded immediately. She knew without looking who was behind her, but she couldn’t help herself. Stealing a glance over her shoulder, she saw a gorgeous man in a black Venetian mask. No one else would know it was him, but those piercing blue eyes gave him away. Luke.

“Nice mask, professor,” she quipped.

“Thought you’d like it,” he said as his lips grazed her ear. He gripped her tighter and pushed his hips into her backside as they began to move to the music.

Embry thought Jeremy was a good dancer, but he had nothing on Luke. Luke wasn’t simply following her moves. He led her with his hips and hands, guiding her body with his. Suddenly she couldn’t remember why she’d avoided him earlier, why she was trying to stay away at all. The fog of alcohol, combined with her heightened emotions, had erased all logical thought. His hands left a trail of fire on her skin as he skimmed her curves, and she rocked her hips from side to side, keeping with his perfect rhythm. She was suddenly consumed by the thought of his dance-floor abilities and how they’d translate in the bedroom. She was desperate to know how good Luke’s body would feel moving above and inside of hers. Embry reached back and hooked her arm around his neck, pulling him closer. His mouth landed on her nape, licking and kissing up to her ear.

“You look downright edible tonight, Miss Jacobs,” he rasped as he pushed forward with his hips again, letting her feel just how edible he thought she was.

He was leaning so close, she couldn’t resist turning her head and letting her lips graze the corner of his mouth. Just that simple touch sent a bolt of desire straight to Embry’s core. Luke spun her in his arms, and her hands landed on the solid wall of his chest as she caught her balance. The left side of his mouth pulled up in a delicious smirk before he brought his lips to hers igniting the fire in her belly. His arms tightened around her as he licked into her mouth and she tasted whiskey sweet on his tongue.

Pulling back slightly, Luke nodded toward the bar and grabbed her hand. “Follow me.”

She shook her head in agreement and he led her toward a hallway beyond the bar. She’d follow him anywhere. At least in her current hazy, lust-filled state. They pushed through groups of people dancing and mingling and made their way past the bar. The hallway was dimly lit and flashes of the strobe lights from the dance floor exploded before them. The muffled bass beat pumped through the hall as they walked. Embry focused on Luke’s back, the way his muscles flexed and jumped as he moved down the corridor. He gave her arm a tug, and she was pulled into an alcove.

Before she could get her bearings, he had her up against the wall. He caged her in and slanted his mouth over hers. Their masks crashed together as their lips collided, hungry and desperate. Her hands ran over every inch of his body as his tongue stroked hers. She would have climbed inside of him if she could.

Luke tore his lips from hers, panting. His eyes were filled with desire. “Embry.”

She coaxed his mouth back to hers. “Shhh,” she said, between kisses. “No talking. For one night, let’s just pretend—”

He pulled away, a pained look crossing his face. “Pretend what?”

Pushing up onto her toes, she pressed another kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Pretend for one night that you’re not my professor and I’m not your student. That we’re just us.”

Luke’s body stiffened. He dropped his hands from her hips and stepped back. His entire demeanor changed. “I’m done pretending, Embry.”

She was completely thrown. He was giving her whiplash with the speed in which his mood changed. He went from seductive to pissed off in the span of a two-syllable word. “What?”

“You want to pretend. Why? So you can push me away again?”

Embry’s eyes widened. She crossed her arms. “Push you away? You mean like you did to me last night?”

“I heard you lie to Morgan about being with me. You were getting ready to give me another one of your ‘We can’t do this, Luke,’ speeches, so I figured I’d save you the trouble.”

Her jaw dropped. The bitterness in his voice cut her to the core. “Why did you come here tonight? Why did you find me on the dance floor? Why did you kiss me?”

He ripped off his mask and ran his hand through his hair. “I came here to get away from you. I had no idea you’d be here. I just wanted one night without having to think about you … about us. But then you walked in, and I couldn’t stay away. I can never stay away.”

He had such a look of disgust on his face, Embry felt as though she’d been slapped. “There is no ‘us,’ Luke, so don’t let me stop you from whatever it is you came here to do.” The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them. She didn’t mean a word of it, but she wanted to inflict as much pain on him as he had her.

She wanted him. She wanted everything. But she couldn’t tell him that. Pushing past him into the hallway, she tried to hold back the tears threatening to fall. Embry made a beeline for the bar. Time to drink away the tears and get the night back on track after being derailed by the freight train that is Luke Brody.

Luke followed her out and came up beside her at the bar, his mask back in place. He leaned forward to get the attention of the beautiful bartender. She walked over and leaned in, practically shoving her cleavage in his face. Embry couldn’t hear their muted conversation over the music, but soon the woman put a shot of whiskey in front of Luke. He slammed it back, winked at the bartender, and threw a few bills on the bar before walking off.

Embry’s head spun. She was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the alcohol and everything to do with her run-in with Luke. She scanned the dance floor for him and saw Morgan and Brett. She waved, and they made their way off the dance floor.

“Where’ve you been?” Morgan asked. Brett headed to the bar for more drinks. “We saw you dancing with Jeremy, and then you disappeared.”

“Oh, I found another dance partner,” she said.

Morgan must have picked up on her tone because she rolled her eyes. “Seriously? You just can’t help yourself, can you?”

“What can I say, I’m a masochist.”

“Clearly,” said Morgan, looking around the club. “Where is Mister Tall, Dark, and Academic?”